Wheel.



No. 802,611. PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905. C. B. VAN HORN. WHEEL APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1904. RENEWED MAB. 30,1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

C. B. VAN HORN.

WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED mnzo, 1904. RENEWED MAR.30,1905.

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WIITMESSIEfi.

ITF Ill STT'ES A triple.

CHARLES E. VAN HORN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ELIJAI-I B. CORNELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA.

WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

To all Ill/M1717, H; 'lltrty OOH/(16TH! Be it known that 1, CHARLES B.VAN HORN, of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wheels, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompan ying drawings.

My improvements relate particularly to wheels with expansible hubs of the class described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 693,929, granted to me February 25, 1902, although its use is not necessarily limited to wheels of that description.

It is the object of my invention to provide a wheel with a hub having adjustable means to fit the different sizes of ordinary vehicleaxle spindles, so that my improved wheels may be readily substituted for ordinary Wheels by an unskilled operator.

As hereinafter described, my invention comprises a collapsible wheel having an expansible hub provided with ball-bearings engaged with a sleeve, which sleeve is adapted to receive ordinary axle-spindles of different sizes and is provided with conical Wedge-rings to adjustably secure said sleeve in stationary position on such spindles.

My invention comprehends the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of a wheel having a hub conveniently embodying myimprovements. Fig. II is a diamctrical sectional view taken on the line II II in Fig. I. Fig. III is a cross-sectional view of the hub, taken on the line III III in Fig. II. Fig. IV is a perspective view of the spindle-sleeve shown in Fig. II. Fig.V is a perspective view of the ball-race collar fitted on said sleeve in Fig. II. Fig.VI is a perspective view of the split wedge-ring shown at the lefthand side of Fig. II. FigVII is a perspeetive View of the split wedge-ring shown at the right-hand side of Fig. II.

As shown in Fig. I, the wheel comprises the hub 1, spokes 2, plain spoke-sockets 3, coupling spoke-socket 1, and the felly 5, provided with the rim 7. Each spoke 2 is provided at its inner end with a wedge 8, converged toward the Wheel-axis, and a wedge 9, converged away from the wheel-axis, and, as shown in Fig. II, the spokes are fitted together with said wedge ends faced oppositely in the direction of the wheel-axis, so that they overlap each other both circumferen tiall y and radially, and thereby hold each other rigidly in the hub when clamped between the separable annular members 11 and 12. Said member 11 is provided with radial ribs 14, which abut against the shoulder 15 on the axle-box 16, and the member 12, opposed thereto, comprises radial ribs 18, fitted to slide in corresponding recesses 19 in the nut 20 on said axle-box 16 and prevent the accidental movement of said nut. Said member 12 is thrust toward the member 11 by the engagement of the screw-threaded sleeve 22 with said axlebox 16; but before said members 11 and 12 are drawn together to clamp the inner ends of the spokes the latter are thrust outwardly into firm engagement with the sockets 3and 4 in the felly 5 by the expansion of the split ring 2&1: against their inner ends, said ring 24: being expanded by the conical ring 25, which is thrust axially therein by the engagement of the ringnut 20 with the thread on the axle-box 16. Said ring 25 is retained in its adjusted position by said nut 20, which acts as a j am-nut for it. Said axle-box 16 is provided with tl'ieinternal screwthread 27110 receive the ball-race ring 28, which is normally retained in stationary position by the nut 30. The sleeve 22 at the opposite end of said axle-box 16 is provided with the internal screw-thread 31 to receive the adjustable ball-race ring 32, which latter is clamped in adjusted position by the screw-threaded cap 34. The sleeve 35 within said axle-box 16 is provided at its inner end with the ball-race collar 36, betweenwhich and the ring 28 the balls 38 are arranged to rotate, said collar being supported by the shoulder 39 on the box 16. The opposite end of said sleeve 35 'is provided with the ball-race collar 10, having the flange 42, with the recesses 43, engaging the corresponding projections 1 1 on said sleeve 35, so as to be prevented from rotating thereon. Between said. collar 4L0 and the ring 32 the balls 416 are arranged to rotate. The inner end of said sleeve 35 is supported by the split wedge-ring 18, which rests upon the shoulder 49 of the spindle 50 of the axle 51, which is of ordinary construction. The outer end of said sleeve 35 is supported by the split wedge-ring 53, which rests upon the extremity of said spindle 50, and it is to be understood that said sleeve and collar 36 are clamped on the axle 51 by the cap-nut 55, which engages the screw-threaded outer end of said spindle and has the shoulder 57 bearing against the outer face of the wedgering 53.

After the spokes 2 have been properly assembled in connection with the felly and hub, as above described, the annular members 11 and 12 of course remain in stationary relation with the axle-box, except when it is necessary to replace the damaged spokes or to tighten the wheel, and it may be noted that the nut 20 may be conveniently rotated by rotating the member 12, whose ribs 18 engage the recesses 19 of said nut 20, and such adjustment may be effected without removal of the screwthreaded sleeve 22, the latter being merely retracted sufficiently to free said member 12. Wear of the ball-bearings may be compensated by setting the race-ring 32 farther toward the center of the wheel, it being then reclamped by the cap 34:, which acts as a jamnut for it.

The hub shown in Fig. II is operatively connected with a spindle of the smallest size which it is adapted to receive; but it is to be understood that the split wedge-rings 18 and 53 may be fitted over spindles of larger diameter and of correspondingly greater length, the distance between said rings being of course variable in correspondence therewith to the limit of the screw-threaded engagement of the cap-nut 55 upon the end 56 of the spindle.

The drawings are made from a hub whose sleeve 35 is adapted to receive axle-spindles varying from seven-eighths of an inch to one and one-quarter inches in diameter which may be secured therein by split wedge-rings 48.

and 53 of uniform outside diameter and different inside diameters.

I believe it to be broadly new to provide a wheel-hub having a spindle-sleeve comprising means to retain it in stationary relation upon axles of difierent sizes and arranged to support a hub of given size. Therefore I do not desire to limit myself to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth.

I claim 1. The combination with an axle-spindle sleeve; of a hub comprising an axle box mounted to rotate on said sleeve; conical surfaces at the opposite ends of said sleeve; conical wedge-rings fitted to said surfaces in said sleeve and arranged to engage an ordinary vehicle-axle spindle therein; and, a nut arranged to shift said rings relatively to said sleeve and clamp the latter in stationary relation to said axle, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with an axle-spindle sleeve; of a hub comprising an axle-box mounted to rotate on said sleeve; conical surfaces at the opposite ends of said sleeve; expansible conical wedge-rings fitted to said surfaces in said sleeve and arranged to engage ordinary vehicleaxle spindles of different sizes therein; and, a nut arranged to shift said rings relatively to said sleeve and clamp the latter in stationary relation to such axles,

substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with an ordinary vehicle-axle; of a sleeve arranged to receive the spindle of said axle, provided with oppositelyinclined conical faces at its opposite ends; conical wedge-rings arranged to fit said spindle and said sleeve-faces; a nut, arranged to engage the end of said spindle, force said wedge-rings toward each other and retain said sleeve in stationary relation on said axle; and, a hub mounted to rotate on said sleeve, substantially as set forth.

4:. The combination with an ordinary vehicle-axle; of a sleeve arranged to receive the spindle of said axle, provided with oppositelyinclined conical faces at its opposite ends; expansible conical wedge-rings arranged to fit said spindle and said sleeve-faces; a nut arranged to engage the end of said spindle, force said wedge-rings toward each other,

thereby vary their diameter and secure said sleeve in stationary relation on said axle, regardless of variations in the size of said spindle; and, a hub mounted to rotate on said sleeve, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 19th day of May, 1904.

CHARLES B. VAN HORN.

IVitnesses:

ARTHUR E. PAIGE, CLIFTON O. HALLowuLL. 

